Giorno entered the house, it was very simple but cozy, the walls were a bit striped with colors, there were toys on the floor, the living room was really small and next to it was a simple prefabricated kitchen. Little footsteps were heard upstairs, Giorno's face lit up when he heard them. Although 500 years had passed for him, he could recognize them. He thought of running and looking for his daughter, but he held back again, he had promised to behave, and he would not break a promise to that woman, nor to his daughter again.
- Why this dress like that? Asked Róase, staying away from him.
She clenched a knife that she was hiding in her crossed arms. She was willing not to allow him to hurt her daughter, or her ever again.
- Did you know that with what you paid for the rental of that suit, your daughter could eat a week?
She spoke to him with anger, so much that she gritted her teeth and his eyes flooded, he was so irresponsible giving priority to unnecessary things.
- Today I was promoted in the construction company, Giorno told him softly.
Like a child who has received a scolding from his mother and is truly sorry, he looked at her.
- Now I am a seller, and not only that, I sold my first house, on my first day.
It was incredible to see the intrepid and invincible Demon King speak like a submissive and harmless child, but he couldn't help it, not before that woman he had not stopped thinking about during his entire stay in the other world. No matter how many women, elves, nymphs or females of any class or species he had slept with, at the end of the day he could only think of this woman. In that other world he only wanted to invite them to dinner. He remembered his wife's favorite flowers, and that Amélie always dreamed of having this stuffed animal.
He extended them to her at the same time and timidly, as he bowed making an exaggeratedly marked bow, she looked at him with her eyes wide, wide, blinked a couple of times, maybe she was having some strange dream, but in the end she said:
- I congratulate you, I'm really happy for you.
She was interrupted by a small body that came down the narrow and steep stairs that led to the second floor, dressed in a little white princess gown, something already small for her height and a bit threadbare, she was a beautiful girl, for Giorno the princess the most beautiful of all existing worlds, he turned to see her, she was around 6 years old, but her huge eyes revealed a maturity beyond her age.
- Daddy? She said with her childish voice, Giorno couldn't bear it and dropping the flowers and the teddy bear ran to hug her, squeezed her tightly, but with the care of someone who has an object of incredible value in their hands, how much he had wanted this moment, how much he had prayed for the moment, when he could finally see his beloved daughter again.
- Hi Princess how are you? he told her while she stroked her cheek.
-Why did you come daddy? Said the girl who seemed worried, you better go, if mom's boyfriend sees you, he said he would send you to the hospital for hitting him.
Róase put her hand to her face, her daughter had finished flipping the trouble switch. Giorno was an immature cretin who could not accept that they were no longer husbands and less that she knew someone else. She now she would explode in anger as always, she instinctively remembered what Aron, her current partner, taught her about self defense, prepared to defend himself against an irate Giorno, but he did not seem to respond as she expected.
-Don't worry about my princess, she replied lovingly and calmly to her daughter. If I have to go to the hospital or even to prison for what I did, I am more than willing, if that allows me to see you, I will do whatever is necessary, you cannot imagine how much I have missed you.
-Daddy, but I don't want to be hit, the girl hugged him and then tried to push him with her little hand.
-I don't worry, I'm sure your mom's boyfriend is someone great and we can fix this as adults.
Róase was tempted to say, who the hell are you and what did you do with the cretin who is the father of my daughter ?, but she preferred to go directly to a subject that worried her a lot.
- Now that you have a better position, I suppose you can catch up with the past due fees.
Hopefully, she would give him a few dollars to help him hold out until the next payment.
- No, Giorno said softly, she was startled, she was ready to start screaming when he continued, I plan something different, I want you to come back with me, I promise that this time you will not need anything, I swear! I will do my best to compensate them for my infinite stupidity, I will give every ounce of my being to make them happy, I promise, I mean it!
- Giorno, that's not possible, as Amélie said right now I'm going out with someone else-
Those words were worse than being pierced by the sting of a poisonous chimera, in the middle of the burning desert of flames.
- Just give me a chance
She begged her with her head down, I'm not the same idiot who let you go.
- I'm sorry, the woman replied in a contemptuous tone
- I do not think that people change just for a promotion, the best thing is that you go and try to catch up with your quotas, I do not want to be fired for a paternity embargo.
Giorno stood up and took out of his pocket an envelope with money, there was about eight thousand dollars.
- This could not cover even a millionth of what I owe you, the fee that I pay right now is a pittance, from now on I will give you 10 times what we agreed. I just ask you something, he got on his knees in front of his ex-wife, it is not a condition, but please I beg you to let me see my daughter every day, it is all I ask.
Róase was puzzled, that which she had in her hands was many times what Giorno owed. Plus, spending 10 times the fee was almost double what she earned in three months, she couldn't help but ask.
- Seriously? Is your payment that high?
-Yes, and it is only the beginning, Giorno said speaking like a man for the first time since he had seen her that night. I will show you how high I can go, I will make sure you recover, that is for sure.
-Giorno don't get your hopes up.
She bending down he took her face in her hands, he had even left the knife on a table. She now she looked him in the eye
-I loved you with all my heart and being, but that is past, now I love another person, if you can accept that, like the man you say you have become, then you can see your daughter all you want, she will also needs to.
- So, tomorrow I'll come so we can go see a movie, if you want you can join us.
- We'll see tomorrow.
She stood up and helped him up too
- Just please don't spoil her, okay?
- Do not worry
She turned to her daughter and stroked her head contemplating her beautiful brown eyes, they were just like her mother's
-Let her spoil herself a bit, she is our daughter and she undoubtedly has the best of both, even with a little bad upbringing, she will be a wonderful woman when she grows up, he said it while he hugged her again.
Then he handed a card to his old wife
- I am staying in this hotel temporarily, while I am looking for a more welcoming house for the three of us, if you need something, whatever, you can look for me there or call me on my number. As soon as you call me I'll come, no matter what time or what I'm doing, okay?
She didn't understand him, or he was the best actor in the world or he was really very different from the irresponsible and apathetic young man who got her pregnant and then took her to give her a shitty life, she didn't see the mediocre and conformist man who almost led her to madness in the midst of absolute ruin and poverty.
She now she dressed as someone important and, for the first time, she felt that she truly loved her daughter, which she barely demonstrated until a few days ago. He even almost convinced her that he really missed her, what could have happened in just a couple of days for such an incredible change, "maybe the three ghosts from that story visited him," he thought.
- You don't have to go now.
Finally, she half whispered, after all Amélie had cried every night asking why her father did not come to see her, letting him go now would only make her feel bad again, her daughter deserved a bit of joy, besides Giorno was behaving
- Why don't you have dinner with us?
The man's face lit up in a way that she had never seen in him, it was as if they gave him the best news of her life. Now if she was willing to say it.
- "Who are you and what did you do with Giorno?" he held back, lest this man disappear in front of her.
Throughout dinner he only listened to them, the stories of his daughter at school and the work frustrations of his ex-partner. Giorno couldn't remember being happier than at that moment, he wished with all his heart that this dinner would never end. Suddenly someone knocked on the door, Giorno stood up.
- Please don't interrupt the meal, I'll go to open it, Giorno told them with a smile.
She laughed, she allowed him to do it, but almost instantly she jumped to her feet as if driven by a spring; She remembered that she was waiting for someone, she ran after Giorno to prevent him from opening the door, but it was late, she heard the familiar voice of her current boyfriend who screamed.
- Damned! how dare you put a finger on Róase
The punch that Giorno received was so strong that he literally flew into the house again, but he didn't stop like a rag doll, he turned his body in the air and managed to land practically on his feet. Róase saw Giorno's eyes, they were no longer the tender and loving eyes of a moment ago, they were the eyes of a beast ready to kill.
Giorno moved fast and agile for the counterattack, the man who attacked him was on guard ready to give him the beating of his life, However, they heard a cry behind them. They both vanished his aggressive instincts and Giorno tried to hide his onslaught by hugging the stranger who had just hit him.
-But how are you! He pretended, trusting that the subject would follow suit, he had noticed how under her instinct when listening to Amélie cry, so he deduced that at least he did not want to scare her either
- What a clever way to say hello! Wait, I think we scared the princess, he addressed her daughter as she put her arm around the man's neck and smiled as if they were excellent friends, don't worry princess we were just playing.
Amelie looked at them confused, but at least she wasn't crying anymore, they both hugged and smiled as if they got along.
-So you are my wife's new boyfriend, Giorno said, looking askance at the man he was hugging with a huge smile and the friendliest voice he could pretend.
- You're wrong, I'm your ex-wife's fiancé.
She said it with a laugh, please do not forget that we have something pending, you and I later, for now I will greet these beautiful ladies.
The man gently kissed his girlfriend, while Giorno had to restrain himself not to hit him, then he saw how he approached his little girl who was looking at him with a beautiful smile totally familiar with the subject, he offered him a fruit, she accepted it smiling and then she hugged him, by anny reason Giorno felt his heart was broken in pieces, his princess accepted this man as the boyfriend of his mom.
- I suppose is to late, I should go.
Giorno walked toward his daughter and raised her while he have her a spin.
- Princess, I will come tomorrow, we will go to watch the movie you want.
- Yes, daddy, not arrive late, I should go to sleep before 8.
- I´ll come to the noon, answered Giorno while he left on the ground.
- I thought you had work, said Roase, who now was looking at her suspiciously.
- Now I am an executive, while I comply with my goals I have freedom to manage my time.
- Mister executive! asked Roase and approached to him to congratulate him, he saw his face, and he didn't have any bruises, she was sure a single punch from Aron could send a professional fighter to the hospital, after all he was the undefeated mixed martial arts champion. It was amazing that not only was Giorno standing, it was amazing that he was unharmed.
- Ok, I am leaving now, have good night.
Giorno turned to the door, when a powerful hand landed on his shoulder.
- I accompany you, outside is a dangerous neighborhood, Aron apparently wanted to finish what he had started.
- Aron, leave him, approached anoyying Roase.
- I thank you, I admit that I am usually afraid to go out at this time, Giorno replied kindly.
- After you.
Both of them ignored the woman, who covered her mouthm, apparently his ex wont comply his promise of the next day.